Cancelled :-(: Thanks to all the lovely... - Atrial Fibrillati...

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Cancelled :-(

ijan profile image
ijan
51 Replies

Thanks to all the lovely folk who wished me well.

Sadly, after a five hour wait in gown and cannulla, a lovely apologetic nurse came to tell me my proceedure had been cancelled.

Sitting at home feeling somewhat surreal as I expected to be flat on my back, beginning the recovery process.

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ijan profile image
ijan
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51 Replies
Finvola profile image
Finvola

Oh no - what a horrible letdown for you. Have they given you an idea of when it may happen?

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to Finvola

Not yet Finvola, I may ring my EP's secretary tomorrow and ask if she has any idea.

Hopefully it won't be too far away as we're planning to head to the Hebrides in May.

BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

Agreed but on the other hand one must feel sorry also for whoever the emergency was. I was that emergency once!

Doesn't make it any easier mind as I also (Last year) spent ten days sitting around in hospital waiting for a bed in another hospital for a procedure and dying of boredom. Since I was in a bed next to the nurses station I knew that they must have thought I was slightly ill. Had I gone home I would have gone to the bottom of the waiting list but they wouldn't let me anyway.

ijan I hope it isn't too long for you.

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to BobD

Thanks Bob, there wasn't an emergency. I was told a technician had been sent home poorly. Wouldn't have wanted him/her to stay if unwell.

I'm tempted to stay off the bisoprolol, as I felt so much better without it.

How awful for you . I do hope you get another appt very soon. I suppose these things are unavoidable but it doesn't make you feel any better when you are all geared up for the procedure.

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to

Strangely, I had a feeling it might not happen. Every time the phone rang I thought it was going to be a cancellation message.

meadfoot profile image
meadfoot

Oh no, all that pent up energy awaiting the procedure gone to waste. Hope you don't have to wait too long for it. How disappointing to say the least. Best wishes for next time.

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to meadfoot

Thanks! I'm keeping my bag packed-one less thing to organise for next time!

JaneFinn profile image
JaneFinn

Nooooooooooooooo

Oh I’m so sorry :( Gutting. Sending love x

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to JaneFinn

Thanks! Your "Noooooooooooooooo" was what I felt like sayiong to the nurse. I even held off from sipping the tea she brought me , just in case there had been a mistake!

JaneFinn profile image
JaneFinn in reply to ijan

Oh I SO sympathise! (And i’d have done the same with the tea 😁)

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to JaneFinn

C'est la vie!

I came back off hol day early to message on land line saying cancelled. Also spent 8 hrs on ward to be cancelled. As Bob says someone's need was greater than mine.

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to

Not another patient, apparently a key member of the staff was poorly.

in reply to ijan

Well you want the full team don't you 😄

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to

Definitely!

I feel for the committed staff who come into work when they are unwell knowing that if they stay home proceedures will probably be cancelled. I think this may have ocurred today as I was gowned and ready to go for 5 hours before being told the proceedure was off.

in reply to ijan

Hi ijan. I am sorry you still have the procedure in front of you instead of being well into the recovery process. For me, the anxiety of waiting for something is always worse than the actual event. But one thing I truly believe at this point in my life is that everything happens for a reason. It's frustrating when we don't have the whole picture up front as to how changes affect us for better or worse, It would be so helpful and calming to know the WHY. But we are not always given foresight, and only sometimes are we given hindsite about why things happen the way they do. I would like to share a recent experience that even now makes me wonder which way I would have wanted events to unfold if I had been given a choice. As many of you probably know (I have written about my recent Watchman Procedure ad nauseam, how anxious I was to have it, and how happy I am now it's done.) Here is how it unfolded timewise. An aside: I was a nurse and I know all the times during my career I went to work not feeling well because I was expected to be there and functioning. Background: There is one illness I try to avoid as much as possible and that is 'the common cold'. For me, it would always turn into asthma, the hospital, serious meds, you get the picture. My brother could throw off a beginning cold in 2-3 days and I really envied him this ability. Back to the present: My Watchman Procedure was scheduled for Jan 15th of this year and I was there, on the table, waiting to go to sleep. There was a nurse on my left tucking my arm while others were also around the table positioning me and I heard the nurse to my left sniffling a lot; like we do when we are starting a cold and have a slightly 'runny nose.' As she was wearing her mask, she couldn't do anything but keep sniffling and clearing her throat. I remember thinking, "Please God, don't let her have a cold." (My nemesis illness). Long story short. Went to sleep, woke up, stayed overnight, went home next day feeling great and happy everything went smoothly and I was on my recovery path. Surg onMon,home Tues, and very bad weather moved in Tues even with roads quickly becoming impassable.By Tues night I began to feel ill and by early Wed had a high enough fever that I knew needed attention. Was able to get to ER Thurs am and was diagnosed with Influenza A. Stayed in hospital 2 days in isolation, started on Tamiflu and then sent home. So many people were admitted to area hospitals with Influenza, they were running out of beds, supplies and being home was safer germwise than hospitals. I obviously recovered-which many didn't, but felt sick for almost three weeks. Moral I wish they had sent that nurse home even if my procedure got postponed. It was the worst I had felt in years. We never know who we may have gotten our cold/flu from but it came on so fast and on Mon I was healthy, My EP said I most likely picked it up in the hospital. Who knows? But I would have delayed a procedure I wanted if I could have spared myself those 3 weeks of discomfort. Sorry to ramble but for a reason you may never know, the Universe may have helped you 'dodge a bullet.". I still hope you are able to get your surgery behind you asap. Waiting is often the worst part. Take care. irina1975

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to

Good point Irina.......thanks for posting :-)

in reply to

Hi frills. And I want them to have a good breakfast and not have low blood sugar while they are operating on me!

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly

😢 Others said it all 💔

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to Buffafly

;-)

pottypete1 profile image
pottypete1

I can sympathise, it had happened to me 4 times. Once before an operation on my nose, once when I was to have a hand operation and twice for ablations. .

I had to learn a lot of patients but it never gets any easier.

Hope you get a rerun soon.

Pete

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to pottypete1

Thanks, I think it may happen more nowadays because there is absolutely no slack in the system. I feel for the staff who must try to soldier on knowing that operations will be cancelled if they go home.

Fingers crossed for a more successful rerun in the near future.

ijan profile image
ijan

Thanks John6.

Cancellations are stressful at the best of times but do have an additional impact when the patient is also a carer. I'm not looking forward to setting everthing up again, but at least we had a "dry run" today.

However sometimes things people have may not be best to have in a lab or pass on to others.

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to

You're right!

Nothing to be done but wish the person concerned a speedy recovery, and hope for better luck next time.

in reply to ijan

Good attitude

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to

Only way really, anything other would be completely unreasonable.

:-)

Carig profile image
Carig

So sorry same happened me but time passes and have it done now. Try not to stress. Its a horrible waiting game. Feels like everything is on hold.

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to Carig

Thanks Carig. Hope all is going well for you.

Carig profile image
Carig in reply to ijan

Ye. Never been so stressed but had complt with avlation. Diaphragm was damaged but apart from tiredness feeling great. Wekle worth doing and im worlds worst patient. Best of luck

Carig profile image
Carig in reply to Carig

Sorry typo errors

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to Carig

Sorry to hear you had complications, don't worry about the typos I do them all the time! Take care, and give your body time to heal.

My last ablation kept afib at bay, drug free, for 8 years so the short term pain was well worth the gain.

:-)

Jan

Carig profile image
Carig in reply to ijan

Thanks ijan. Have a good patricks day :-)

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to Carig

You too. :-)

Its snowing here- Selfishly, I'm hoping it doesn't last as I don't want more winter pressures to imact on my wait for my rescheduled ablation date.

Dog is resplendent in green drying coat having managed to return from our morning walk soaking and caked in mud!

Cheers,

Jan

Carig profile image
Carig in reply to ijan

Haha great dog dressed up so cute. Ye hope snow doesnt come back as heavy as before. Hate it. My dog loves it

GrannyE profile image
GrannyE

I am so sorry for all those whose procedures have been cancelled last minute. It is very difficult to psyche oneself up to have it done and then to find it not done and have to go through the whole procedure again is horrible. I am afraid in those situations all one can do is accept the situation and keep going. Try to stay optimistic. Immerse yourself in a good book. Watch uplifting things on TV, DVD. Have a virtual hug.

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to GrannyE

Thanks, I'll do just that!

Virtual hug much appreciated, BTW.

Fastbeat profile image
Fastbeat

Same happened to me last June, eventually all went ahead in July.But I do know how you feel, hope next appt is soon, be positive.

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to Fastbeat

Thanks, Fastbeat, Hoping to hear something soon so I can begin the process of getting organsed again.

wilsond profile image
wilsond

Oh how disappointing! After all the arrangements made etc....hope you get sorted soon

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to wilsond

Thanks.

Hoping to hear something soon so I can begin the process of getting organsed again.

:-)

rothwell profile image
rothwell

Compensation scheme? Unbelievable. We should be very grateful that we live in a country where we are offered such services and have an NHS despite its shortcomings. Hope you dont wait too long ijan

barabas profile image
barabas

While I live in US, couldn't agree more with your view. We have issues with medical coverage/insurance etc in the States....but what terrifies me and many others is that we will move to socialized medicine like Europe and Canada. As you probably know, we can generally get right in to a specialist...vs. the waits described on this site in Europe. When I had my first flutter episode..two days before Christmas...I could have had an ablation a day or two after Christmas. And we can pick the MD, EP, hospital, etc. Can go anywhere in the country and get in very quickly.

Have heard of several Canadian residents with critical heart or cancer issues - like brain cancer...and the soonest they could see a specialist was 6 months. One of them came to the US and paid out of pocket to be treated.

It appears that socialized/government run medicine basically results in Cardio, Ortho, etc specialists basically being paid like family practice MD's...so why specialize? Then the waiting lists to see specialists become unreal. As you point out, even when the government takes it over, citizens are still paying for it...yet lose control over who they see, when they see them, and as a practical matter it seems there is little reason for MD's to have a customer focused mindset. The medical system starts behaving like any other government agency - slow, inefficient, limited accountability, etc. Maybe there are benefits I don't see, but despite all the complaints about the US system, hope we can maintain and improve it....not turn over to government.

in reply to barabas

One thing I am grateful for is I still have the right in the US to choose my doctor-or Not choose him.her as the case may be. The only limitation is my insurance and what they choose to cover. But I will cut corners elsewhere to afford the best coverage I can. At 74 and with some significant medical problems I would be insane not have good coverage.

barabas profile image
barabas in reply to

Amen. When there is no choice, the whole system starts to break down. Can't imagine good MD's like to treated like "commodities", rather than attracting patients based on their level of skill. A Canadian resident was telling me recently about MD's in Canada who take a couple months off each year, since they have been paid the maximum they can receive under the Canadian plan. Imagine being under their care...and then they are gone for couple months....

in reply to barabas

Very interesting. I didn't know that. Best to find out when their vacation is scheduled before planning surgery! It's very frustrating when another doctor is covering for your regular one and has no clue what's going on with you. And glance thru your chart before speaking with you? Probably won't happen.

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to barabas

Bear in mind that those who can afford to pay, or have medical insurance, can also opt for private treatment in the UK. While the NHS is free at the point of delivery to almost everyone. This has its pitfalls but offers economies of scale, and also treats patients whose private procedures have been botched by practicioners/companies who have later gone out of business. I think there are pros and cons to both systems.

Many top consultants in the UK do both private and NHS work.

in reply to ijan

Good point. I know we have a good healthcare system in the US although not without its problems. From what I've learned on this forum the UK also has many good points along with some problems just like us. It's a shame someone can't combine the best of both worlds and get rid of the bad parts!. Here's me with my head in the clouds again!

ijan profile image
ijan in reply to

Not a bad place to be :-)

in reply to ijan

LOL. I have a sweatshirt that says"I'm in my own little world. But it's ok, they know me here."

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